TOURISM RUSSIA

Russian cuisine: Vodka

noreply@blogger.com (Tahir Sultan) — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 09:21:00 +0000

Overview

The production of the purest and seemingly most simple of all alcoholic drinks – vodka – involves the relatively complicated process of distillation. So, it wasn't invented until the 15th century. But vodka’s relative youth (it is about 8,000 years younger than wine) didn’t prevent it from gaining widespread popularity in Eastern Europe and Russia.
The difficulty of growing grapes in a cold climate drove these counties into exploring the alcoholic potential of fermented grain. These explorations led to the discovery of what was called then called ‘bread wine’. It was first distilled at a Muscovite monastery and then, apparently, in the city of Moscow itself in the 1440s. Traditional Russian surnames Vinokur or Vinokurov are derivatives of the Russian word for the distillation process.

Mendeleev's measurements and Pokhlyobkin’s studies

Dmitry Mendeleev Despite beliefs to the contrary, Mendeleev – the legendary Russian inventor known as the ‘Euclid of chemistry’ – didn’t actually invent vodka, which existed about 400 years prior to Mendeleev’s birth. However his thorough and careful studies have greatly contributed to the distilling industry.

The two most notable names in the history of vodka are Dmitry Mendeleev and William Pokhlyobkin.
Mendeleev became a Doctor of Science in 1865 for a dissertation called “On the Combinations of Water with Alcohol”. It’s a unique example of a work on spirits by a scientist of Mendeleev’s caliber, and, unsurprisingly, it has one or two useful ideas.
When appointed Head of the State Bureau of Weights and Measures in 1893, Mendeleev had to come up with vodka production standards. Naturally he didn’t forget his alcohol studies made 30 years earlier, which indicated the ideal volume for vodka to be 38%. But for the purposes of easier marking and taxation, the 40% volume was chosen.
Vodka’s very existence caused an international controversy in the late 1970s (of course its usage has caused infinitely more controversies), when Poland tried to claim that within the borders of the Kingdom of Poland, vodka was known prior to the Russian Empire.
Years of painstaking research by historian William Pokhlyobkin confirmed that vodka was in Muscovy in the 15th century, while Poland was unable to prove the statement that the local vodka (gorzalka) was created prior to the middle of the 16th century.
Russia clearly won the international dispute on the invention of vodka and rightfully keeps it as its national drink.

The importance of ‘zakuska’

Being the national drink of a country as vast as Russia, vodka has created dozens of different traditions. While some prefer to drink it around the table, others see vodka as a universal short-term relaxant that can be consumed virtually anywhere with little preparation.
There are people who enjoy vodka and there are those who suffer from ulcers. So, if you have no desire to pass from the first group to the second follow the advice below. Before a proper vodka session (one that involves more then 200 milliliters of vodka per participant) you have to take precautions.

Several hours before the session, swallow 50 milliliters of vodka. Once inside your system, it will behave similarly to the way process gas in pipelines to smoothe the flow.
Vegetable oil and raw eggs, as well as tea and coffee may also be helpful, as the oily substance will cover the wall of the gut and prevent alcohol from soaking into your stomach and intestine. A perfect way to avoid any negative effect from drinking is to eat porridge an hour before you start drinking.
As far as medicines go, absorbent carbon is good, but antibiotics should be avoided at all costs: when taken with alcohol they damage your heart. And so does excessive smoking while drunk.
Chasing vodka with other drinks such as beer, wine or tonics should be avoided. It makes you drunk too fast.
Food is a different matter. When the drinking starts the choice of accompanying food – a.k.a. ‘zakuska’ – is crucial. Meat is good, but not sausages; most fish is good; raw vegetables and herbs should be abandoned for saline ones, while any kind of fruit is welcome, especially citrus ones, as well as berries.
Russian tradition prescribes that vodka be sipped in order to taste it; it is not acceptable to simply swallow it down. So it should be cool, but not ice cold.

Choosing vodka

RT has put together its own list that might come in handy when choosing a vodka:

Glavspirttrest
$4–$10

Putinka
$4–$10

Five Lakes
(Pyat Ozer)
$4–$6

On Birch buds
(Na Beryozovih Brunkah)
$8–$10

Flagship
(Flagman)
$6–$13

Danish
(Special mentioning:
Danzka)
$17–$30

Sturgeon
(Beluga)
$25–$56

Parliament
$6–$16

Cranes
(Zhuravli)
$6–$10

Decanter
(Zelyonaya Marka
Grafinchick™)
$10–$13

Russian Standard
$17–$37

Cocktails with vodka

Most of the world’s cocktails include vodka. They aren’t really popular among Russian drinkers, who en masse prefer to drink vodka neat, but some of the cocktails are actually quite interesting as they reduce the negative side-effects of vodka.

Bloody Mary

3 parts vodka
6 parts tomato juice
1 part lemon juice

Add Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, salt and pepper into highball glass, then pour all ingredients into highball with ice cubes; stir gently

Otvertka (Screwdriver)

1 part vodka
2 parts orange juice
pinch salt

Mix in a highball glass with ice

White Russian

2 parts vodka
1 part cream (milk)
2 parts coffee liqueur

Pour directly into old fashioned glass filled with ice

Cosmopolitan

2-3 parts vodka
2 parts cranberry juice
1 part Cointreau
1 part fresh lime juice

Add all ingredients into cocktail shaker filled with ice; shake well and strain into large cocktail glass

Vodka-Martini

4 parts vodka
1 part dry vermouth
pinch salt

Large cocktail glass

Long Island Iced Tea

3 parts vodka
1 part tequila
white rum
orange liqueur
gin
lemon juice

Gomme syrup and a dash of cola; mix in a glass over ice

Vodka – a drink for all occasions

Russians often joke, “We eat vodka.” Since its invention, vodka has been used in Russia as a medicine, antiseptic and cosmetic remedy. Vodka used to save lives, especially during World War II, when no other antiseptic was available. It was also widely used after the Chernobyl nuclear power plant blast to clear a person's body of radioactive nuclides. And nowadays, vodka is widely used in everyday life:

In medicine As a cleaning substance Recipes that include vodka For cosmetic use

At the first symptoms of food poisoning, take one shot of vodka, add a little bit of salt (on the tip of the knife), mix and drink it. This helps to stop the poison from spreading. Vodka with salt is also good if you have diarrhea.
Vodka is well known as a great means of reducing high body temperature (above 38 Celsius). Apply vodka to a sponge and wipe the body with it, then let it dry without covering the body. The sick person will feel cold, but the temperature will drop quickly.
It can also be used as a warm compress to cure a sore throat. Apply a small amount of vodka to a cotton or linen tissue (enough for it to become wet). Make a second layer from polyethylene or cellophane and tie it around your neck, then cover with a warm woolen scarf.
If you have frostbite, then sometimes it is better not to use a warming massage, but instead to make a compress with vodka, apply it to the affected area and then take some internally (no more than 100 grams).
Vodka is a great antiseptic. For instance, if you have a bee sting, apply some vodka to the spot. It will disinfect the skin and prevent the poison from getting into your body.
To cure toothaches, apply a shot of vodka to the aching tooth, or a put a piece of cotton dipped in vodka on the tooth. Your gums will absorb some of the alcohol, which will eventually numb the pain. But don't swallow!
For joints aches, take honey, diced radish and vodka in equal parts – say, half a glass – mix together and add one teaspoon of salt. Rub the concoction onto places where your joints hurt.

Russian jumps into record books from Antarctic mountain

noreply@blogger.com (Tahir Sultan) — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 09:09:00 +0000

Russian dare-devil Valery Rozov has become the first person to BASE jump from Antarctica’s Mount Ulve Tanna.

Rozov, along with climbing colleague Aleksandr Ruchkin and photographer Thomas Senf, needed two weeks of preparations at BASE camp before climbing up the mountain, where temperatures fell to -30C.

Yet, that was the relatively easy part of Rozov's mission. The real challenge lay in his descent from the mountain.

Wearing his wingsuit, Rozov took a death-defying jump off the 3000 meter peak, gliding around the mountains for 45 seconds, before pulling the chord on his parachute and landing safely.

The achievement firmly puts Rogov’s name in the history of BASE-jumping. BASE is an acronym that stands for the four categories of fixed objects from which one can jump – buildings, antennae, spans and earth.
Sponsored Links
Russian takes down triple jump records.(Track-Field): An article from: The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR)

Anna Chapman, hot Russian spy

noreply@blogger.com (Tahir Sultan) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 08:06:00 +0000

Katia Zatuliveter Suspected As A Russian Spy, She Denies The Claim

noreply@blogger.com (Tahir Sultan) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 04:37:00 +0000

Katia Zatuliveter, who worked under British MP Mike Hancock is arrested and facing deportation as she is suspected of being a Russian spy. A House of Commons Defense Committee’s member announced the news to the media. On the other hand Mike Hancock said that he was unaware of the fact that the security services had suspected her until she was detained.

A reputed media source reported that Home Secretary Theresa May has already approved of her detention and it will be executed in few days. The Home office has declined to comment anything about this issue and said that they would not comment on individual issue. Mike Hancock said that Katia Zatuliveter is not a Russian spy and he does not know about the “espionage”. However, the MP confirmed that she has been subjected to a deportation order. Mike Hancock said that his aide is appealing to the court as she feels that she has not done anything wrong. He said that the whole thing now rests on Katia Zatuliveter’s lawyers and they will handle the case. Mike Hancock said that his assistant was not involved in the internal issue of the work. However, according to MI5 she will be deported as her presence is conducive to the national security.

Mike Hancock said that his assistant was ambitious and she wanted to prosper in her life and go further than to work under an MP in the House of Commons. Her father Andrei Zatuliveter said that his daughter is presently in a state of shock and as she has no idea of the things happening to her. Some gossip sites reported that Katia Zatuliveter is suspected of working under SVR, which is the foreign intelligence in Russia.

Asiatic Black Bear Hunting in Russia

noreply@blogger.com (Tahir Sultan) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 23:01:00 +0000

The Asiatic Black Bear, also known as the Tibetan black bear or the Himalayan black bear, is a medium sized, sharp-clawed, black-colored bear with a distinctive white or cream “V” marking on its chest. It is a close relative of the American black bear with which it is thought to share a European common ancestor. It grows up to approximately 190 cm (6 1/2 ft) in length. Males weigh between

110 and 220 kg (240 to 440 lb). The Asiatic Black Bear has a wide distribution range spanning from the east to the west of the Asian continent. This bear can be found in the forests of hilly and mountainous areas in East Asia and South Asia, including southern

Siberia and Far East in Russia. In Russia the Asiatic black bear shares its habitat with the larger and stronger brown bear. However, the smaller black bear has a good advantage over it’s competitor: it can climb trees.

Asiatic black bear hunting has been opened in Russia for several years. Hunting is done in Khabarovsk region and Primnorsky Krai by stalking and bating in the fall or spring and in the dens in the winter.

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Brown Bear Hunting in Russia

noreply@blogger.com (Tahir Sultan) — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 09:18:00 +0000

Without a doubt, a Russian brown bear hunt is the best in the world. The population of brown bears in Russia has been stable for years. According to estimates, its population may approach 140,000, which is more than any other country. The Russian brown bear habitat runs uninterrupted from the Finnish border to the Pacific Ocean for 10000 km. (6000 mi.). The Pacific coast and the European parts of the country have the largest density of bear population.

We offer bear hunts in three distinct areas: European North-West, Central and Southern Siberia, and the Pacific coast.

Eurasian Brown Bear in St. Petersburg, Novgorod, Vologda and Karelia regions. Spring season over baits is offered only in Karelia from April 20-25 until May 10-15. Majority of Eurasian Brown bear hunts are conducted from high stands over bait. Early fall hunts are done from stands along oat and barley fields. Later, bears are hunted by stalking or baiting. The season usually starts on August 15 and ends around October 30. The largest European bear ever taken by one of our clients was 360 kg. (790 lbs.), with a hide 260 cm. long (almost 9 ft.).

The Siberian Brown Bear is a large representative of the species. Both Spring and Fall hunts are offered. Spring hunts usually involve stalking and glassing over the hillsides. In the Fall, bears are hunted by stalking and baiting, and occasionally with dogs.

Far Eastern Brown bear of Kamchatka peninsula and the Pacific Coast of the Russian Far East produce the largest bears in Russia, or perhaps in the world. These salmon-eating bears rival in size, and in density of population the bears of Alaska and the Kodiak Island. However, the prices of these Russian hunts are usually lower than those in Alaska. Kamchatka has become the number one destination for bear hunters in Russia, although many hunters do not realize that the less-often hunted areas of the Russian Northern Pacific Coast offer as good, or perhaps an even better chance of getting a very large bear.

Due to high density of the bears, hunters traveling to the Russian Far East or to the European regions of Russia frequently have an opportunity to take a second trophy.
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Russia:The Unexplored Land

noreply@blogger.com (Tahir Sultan) — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 09:35:00 +0000

Russia is still an unexplored land when it comes to most people from the west. Now that the Soviet Union has been dissolved and communism lost its grip on the new independent states, the entire region that came under the Soviet regime is now open to foreign tourists as well as businesses. Russia has so much to offer to people who have never experienced the ancient cultures and the exciting traditions of the land. Right from the isolated villages in Siberia to the regal elegance of St. Petersburg, there is so much to savour from this vast and ancient land.

Although Russia was an extremely wealthy nation, its deep roots in communism kept it fairly isolated from the rest of the world. Its new freedom that came with the dissolution of communism has brought a breath of fresh air to the country. The Russian people now believe that there are tremendous opportunities awaiting them which just need to be tapped and taken advantage of. The raising of the iron curtain has truly opened the eyes of the people to the enormous possibilities that are now available, especially to the younger generation.

While the country is progressing in terms of technology, it is rediscovering its past. The age old cultures and traditions of this vast land is being brought back to life with renewed vigour. A number of ancient cathedrals that have been neglected over a period of time are now being restored and rebuilt. Art and literature are finding a lot of prominence in the life of people once again. The streets are live with music and the markets and street walks burst with colour and life. A whole nation has literally reawakened to the joy of life.

Russia encompasses an extremely vast area of land. Right from the imperial cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg to the small and remote villages in the far reaches of the Siberian wilderness, Russia spans the two continents of Europe and Asia. While the western border of Russia is shared with various European nations, the Eastern border is as close as 50 miles from North America. Over this vast expanse of land lie majestic mountains, lush forests with an incredible variety of wildlife, and large network of rivers, as well as the largest freshwater lake on the planet. Only for the last few years have these wonders from the largest country in the world, been open to visitors from foreign countries.

One of the factors that inhibit westerners travelling to Russia is the lack of widespread knowledge of the English language. Although a few people speak good English, there are a vast number of people who do not understand the language. But to be able to truly understand and enjoy the beauty of the land and its people, you need to learn Russian during your stay in Russia. No matter how much you try to understand the culture and the traditions of the land, unless you speak and understand Russian, you will not be able to truly relish the beauty of the country.

The Russian people are extremely cordial and kind. It will be a pleasure conversing with them and getting to know them personally. You will however not be able to interact with them on an intimate level unless you are able to speak Russian. There are various ways in which you can learn Russian however. There are many resources available where you can learn Russian free of cost. Especially with the advent of the World Wide Web, learning new languages and dialects has become incredibly an easy task.

There are a number of websites available through which you can learn Russian online. Many websites have a series of lessons for beginners. Once you get a grasp of the basics of the language, then you can move on to more advanced lessons that will teach you more complex framing of sentences and advanced grammatical structures. With these extremely useful resources you can learn Russian free online which will in turn help you to converse easily with the Russian people. The time and effort spent in learning the language of the country will be well worth the effort. It will pay rich dividends in the form of great relationships formed with the wonderful people of Russia.

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Volgograd(Also Known As Stalingrad)

noreply@blogger.com (Tahir Sultan) — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 11:30:00 +0000

Mother Russia Mamaev Kurgan

Nick Carter

Volgograd was originally named Tsaritsin, then in 1925 the name was changed to Stalingrad. Stalin died in 1953, but it took another 12 years for the name to be finally changed to Volgograd in 1965 by Khruschev. The city is located on the river Volga. In the summer it can be more than 30°C and in winter the temperature can become very cold (minus 20°C or more).

Outside the city you can find a typical nearly desert nature. Also the battle fields of World War II are located around here. The city itself is not very nice but has a few interesting spots. The monument on the hill, the promenade at the river also with its Powerplant. I guess it will be very difficult to find people to speak to if you can not speak russian. But if so it can be interesting to find out more about the history of the city.

Volgograd, still referred to by war historians as Stalingrad, was the site of THE bloodiest battle in the history of the world. During the struggle the city was reduced to rubble and was the setting for a struggle between the might of the German and Soviet war machines. Because of this there are many fascinating memorials and museums to visit. The city is rich with culture and history, and offers a wonderful experience of Russian life.

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Ural Mountains

noreply@blogger.com (Tahir Sultan) — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 10:32:00 +0000

Ural Mountains, the boundary line drawn by the nature with the help of mountains between Asia and Europe, It runs through Russia in the west and roughly northern south. The highest point in the Ural mountain range is Mountain Narodnaya around 6200 feet. The Ural Mountains basically runs between Kazakhstan and Russia. It is also named as Urals.

The Ural Mountains are mostly known as the stone belt in the history of Russia. The Mountain range having the age of more then 250 million years also believed to be the oldest Mountain range, covering the area of around 2500 KM’s, starting from the north of Kazakhstan till the Arctic Ocean. The major portion of the Mountain range of Urals is based in Russia; over 70 % of this mountain range belongs to Russia whereas the remaining is situated in Kazakhstan.

The mountain range also has the privilege to be full of resources and richest in wealth. It has been anticipated by the scientists well before 18th century and in 1800s a scientist worked properly on the Urals mountain range to explore its full capacity of resources and richness. He traveled thousands of miles to gather the big collection of minerals like platinum, topaz, gold, magnetite, perovskite, rutile, ilmenite, quartz, zircon, chromite, chrysoberyl, uvarovite, phenakite, and minerals and metals.

The scientist was the Russian mineralogist and his name was Ernst Karlovich hofmann. He was the man who studied the Urals mountain range and explored the richest wealth and let the world understand the importance of this mountain range for the region.

Churches, Monasteries and Convents

noreply@blogger.com (Tahir Sultan) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 09:08:00 +0000

As the spiritual home of the Russian Orthodox Church, Moscow boasts a fascinating religious history and an impressive legacy of ecclesiastical architecture. The church has always played a vital role in Russian society and still does today. So tag along with me and I'll reveal something of the Russian spirit to you, the soul of our people, and I just know you're going to be fascinated by it all! Follow the links below and enjoy a virtual browse around the city's most famous churches, monasteries and convents, and enjoy their architectural variety, gleaming golden cupolas, ancient frescoes and irreplaceable icons.

St. Basil's Cathedral - built in the 16th century on Red Square by Ivan the Terrible to commemorate his successful military campaign against the Tartar Mongols in the besieged city of Kazan, its mass of brightly painted onion domes and turrets is now one of Moscow's best-known landmarks.

The Cathedral of Christ the Savior - magnificent replica of the 19th century church designed by the architect Konstantin Ton to commemorate Russia's victory over the French in the Napoleonic Wars, which was demolished on Stalin's orders in the 1930s but built anew in the 1990s to mark Moscow's 850th birthday.

Kazan Cathedral - newly constructed replica of the 17th century church built in honor of the Kazanskaya Icon to commemorate Tsar Mikhail Romanov's victory over the Poles and Lithuanians in 1612, and later destroyed by the Bolsheviks.

Novodevichy Convent and Monastery - beautiful 16th century convent founded by Vasily III in 1524 to commemorate the recapture of Smolensk from the Lithuanians ten years earlier and the resting place of some of Moscow's most famous artists, writers, politicians and public figures.

Andronikov Monastery - 14th century monastery built on the steep eastern bank of the Yauza River and once the seminary of the famous Russian monk and icon painter, Andrey Rublyov.

Danilov Monastery - built in the 13th century by Prince Daniil Moskovsky, the youngest Son of Alexander Nevsky, and thought to be the oldest monastery in Moscow.

Danskoi Monastery - founded in the 16th century by Boris Godunov in honor of the Donskaya Icon of the Mother of God, which was thought to have delivered Moscow from the repeated attacks of the Crimean Khanates that century.

Church of the Intercession at Fili - spectacular Baroque church commissioned by Prince Lev Naryshkin in the late 17th century next to the riverside village of Fili, which was given to him by his nephew Emperor Peter the Great.

Ivanovsky Convent - 16th century convent used as a depository for unwanted wives and daughters and a prison for Moscow's noblewomen and featuring dauntingly high walls, crenellated bell towers and brick cupolas.

The Metropolitan's Residence at Krutitsky - originally established at the end of the 13th century as the seat of the Metropolitan of the Christian minority among the Tatar Golden Horde and later a prison for the 17th century Bishop Avvakum, leader of the Old Believers sect which branched away from the main Russian Orthodox Church in a schism precipitated by Patriarch Nikon's desire to reform the church.

Novospassky Monastery - thought to have been founded in the 12th century during the reign of Prince Yury Dolgoruky, the founder of Moscow, and initially established on the site of the present-day Danilov Monastery before being transferred to the Kremlin complex in 1300 by Ivan the Terrible and then relocated back to its present site in 1490 by Ivan III.

Simonov Monastery - founded in 1371 by the monk Fyodor, the nephew of Sergei of Radonezh, the 14th century Russian monastic reformer and later patron saint of the Moscow principality, and one of the city's mightiest defensive outposts during the 15th century.

The Trinity Church in Nikitniki - built between 1631 and 1634 by the merchant Grigory Nikitnikov on his own estate and considered the finest example of 17th century Russian ornamental architecture in the city.

Vagankov Cemetery - dating from 1771, when an outbreak of plague compelled the authorities to dig up all the graveyards in central Moscow and establish new ones beyond the city limits, and the resting place of many of the city's notable public figures, including the maverick actor and poet of the Brezhnev era, Vladimir Vysotsky, and the volatile young poet, Sergei Yesenin.

Zaikonospassky Monastery - the 15th century remains of the Kitai Gorod monastery, which saw the birth of Russia's first higher educational institution, the Slavonic, Greek and Latin Academy. Notable students included the great philosopher Mikhail Lomonosov, who came to Moscow to study at the age of 19 and 25 years later was responsible for the founding of the country's first university.

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The Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood

noreply@blogger.com (Tahir Sultan) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 21:32:00 +0000

Newly reopened - for the first time since the 1930s!!!

This marvelous Russian-style church was built on the spot where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated on March 1 1881. Constructed between 1883 and 1907, the church was designed in the spirit of sixteenth- and seventeenth century Russian architecture, inspired particularly by St Basil's Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow.

The interior of the church, a memorial to the late Emperor Alexander II, was decorated with different shades of marble and several thousand square yards of mosaic.

After the October Revolution of 1917 the church met the sad fate the vast majority of the country's churches and was closed for services in the late 1920s. It served briefly as the venue for an exhibition of revolutionary propaganda and gradually fell into decay. It was suggested many times that the church be torn down, for being an "inappropriate" symbol of Christianity in the midst of a newly and largely atheistic country. It is a miracle that the church survived this period. In 1970 Our Savior was brought under the management of St Isaac's Cathedral, who instituted a program of restoration that lasted an incredible 25 years.

Today, the church's onion domes have been newly gilded and its interiors painstakingly restored to their former glory and the church is open to the public.

This has to be one of the city's most beautiful sights and a great spot for taking pictures. There are also lots of souvenir stalls nearby.

Admission:

Unfortunately, the museum administration keeps admission fees extremely high to help fund further restoration of the church.

An additional charge is made for those taking cameras or camcorders into the church.

Foreign visitors should buy their tickets NOT from the ticket booth outside, but from the administrator inside the church.

Address: Naberezhnaya Kanala Griboyedova 2

Metro: Nevsky Prospekt/Gostiny Dvor

Telephone: +7 (812) 314-40-53
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Cheap Travel To Russia And Some Important Things You Should Know

noreply@blogger.com (Tahir Sultan) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 20:07:00 +0000

Cheap Travel To Russia And Some Important Things You Should Know… Make A Good Decision!
Russia might not be a good choice for most travelers who want to visit Europe. With its questionable peace and order situation particularly in the regions of Chechnya, the Communist rule impression still resides to most, and frigid climate throughout the country especially during the winter, Russia should be uninviting for most. But that was before. Now, although there are still shadows of the past Soviet, Russia is a place worth to be visited.
Travelers would not be disappointed with several historical sites that tell how rich Russia’s culture is. There are several museums, monuments, and untouched nature.
Cheap travel to Russia
Visiting Russia can be very expensive considering the distance of country. But with several online travel companies, the price tag is significantly lower that it was before.
To get affordable and cheap travel to Russia, all you have to do is to check the websites specializing on cheap tours. There are available travel tours and packages for group and family who decide to make a stop to Russia.
About Russia
While Moscow and St. Petersburg are the primary cities of the country, Russia has several side countries to discover. Be careful though when traveling. Make sure you know very well the places you are planning to visit.
You might have a little trouble communicating with locals especially if you are away on these two cities. But if you can understand the Russian language, you wont be having any problem.
Russia is a big country. In fact, it is the largest country in the world with a size twice as much as the United States. It spans from Europe to Asia and is divided into 11 time zones.
Climate has been the major issue of those who plan to travel Russia- that is if you will go to the Siberian region. Most people visit Russia when winter ends. It is usually for May- September. Unlike the usual impression, summer is perfect during these times.
Safety tips
When you decide to travel to Russia, learn as many things as possible. Know the language, the people, the culture, how to get around, and especially- know where the U.S. Embassy is located.
When you pack, pack light. Avoid carrying too much cash and expensive jewelry. Never show your wallets in public. Use money belt that can be worn around your neck. It is safer than wallet. Be vigilant when in crowded places like public markets, public transport, and tourist sites among others. Be aware of pickpockets at all times.
If you are going from point to point, do not hail on unmarked taxis and cars. Likewise, never share taxi to other people you do not know. If you are planning to travel by bus or train, take extra precaution.
If you are planning to drink on public places, make sure you have someone who remains sober. Any sign of intoxication might attract professional robbers and thieves.
Make sure other people back at home know your itineraries and contact numbers and numbers of your travel document such as your passport before leaving. If something wrong happens, they would know where to find you. Make enough photocopies of your plane tickets, passport, visa, and all your travel documents. Leave a copy at your home or to someone you know.
Check for travel warning and avoid the regions of Ingushetia, North Caucasus of Chechnya, eastern and southern parts of Stavropol Krii, and Dagestan. These places could be dangerous for tourist.
Avoid drinking tap water. Instead drink bottled water. If there is no available bottled water, boil the water first before drinking.
All these could help you make it through your Russian trip safely.
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Business tourism

noreply@blogger.com (Tahir Sultan) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 13:52:00 +0000

Business tourism is one of the leading and most dynamically developing spheres of world economy, because a successful business is impossible without contacts, exchange of technologies and information, exhibitions, congresses, and business trips.

Rapid growth of business contacts with foreign partners is typical of Russia. About 50% of Russian citizens visiting Moscow arrive on business purposes. About 1 million of foreign businessmen came here in 2000.

Business activities are accelerating not only in the capital, but in many industrial and cultural centers of the country, and the geography of business travels equals the broad geography of vacation tours. All over Russia lots of international and national exhibitions and trade fairs for business partners and all those interested are held. In 2002 1600 industrial exhibitions devoted to various branches of economy were held in Russia. They attract many foreign guests. Besides, a variety of conferences and seminars devoted to different issues of science and culture are organized in Russia.

More and more foreign firms and enterprises opening their offices and representations in Russia invite partners and employees from abroad, carry out receptions, talks and congresses. That is why the number of tourist firms, hotels, transport and finance companies whose main focus is services in the sphere of business tourism is growing in Russia. They do their best to provide most comfortable conditions so that the businessman during his journey is able not only to sign his contract successfully, hold talks and visit an international exhibition, but to enjoy his journey, too.

Modern infrastructure for business tourism: congress centers, conference halls and business-centers in comfortable 4-5 star hotels is developing in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, Samara, Togliatti, Sochi, Ekaterinburg, Irkutsk, Novosibirsk, Vladivostok and other cities. While organizing a business tour the tour operator will render active help to his client - from arranging a business visa to establishing contacts with firms and enterprises. He will deliver to the businessman most comprehensive information about the schedule of arrangements of his interest will help him to choose apartments, a restaurant and will supply him with all the necessary addresses. He will take care of the preparation and organization of seminars and conferences. To put it short, he will supply all what the businessman may need abroad. And he will see to it that the guest will not feel bored while having a rest. And if the businessman brings the members of his family with him, their leisure and sightseeing program will be organized individually.

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Russia Tourism Report Q4 2010
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Arctic Russia

noreply@blogger.com (Tahir Sultan) — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 11:48:00 +0000

Attractions

Vast expanses of tundra and forest-tundra, with an abundance of wildlife; islands featuring polar desert and semi-desert terrain; innumerable mountains, lakes, and streams offering recreational opportunities; the highest ethnic diversity in the Arctic, including 11 indigenous peoples; and historical artifacts and monuments.

Notable wildlife

Nearly every species of Arctic mammal, including polar bears, Arctic foxes, Greenland whales, narwhals, beluga whales, Atlantic walruses, ringed seals, bearded seals, and Greenland seals; an estimated one million wild reindeer; and about 1000 varieties of plants.

Activities

Sea cruises, boating, fishing and hunting tours, rafting, skiing, walking tours, visiting cultural and historical sites.

In Arctic Russia tourists have endless opportunities to catch glimpses of wildlife activities at sea and on land.

Popular destinations

North Pole
With 30,000 tourists visiting this destination annually, the North Pole offers cruises on nuclear-powered icebreakers to the top of the planet beginning on the Kola Peninsula, at Murmansk. Passengers are treated to a host of shipboard amenities and activities, including the chance to view marine life such as walruses, seals, and polar bears. Helicopter excursions to drifting ice floes provide seasonal opportunities for skiing, sledding, and boat trips to Franz Joseph Land, when weather permits.

Other icebreaker cruise ships voyage to Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya. Passengers can fish in the open seas, visit island bird colonies, and even go scuba diving to glimpse the extreme sub-sea environment. Some research vessels also provide tours.

Murmansk
The Arctic’s biggest seaport, boasts comfortable hotels and numerous museums and historical monuments, while the nearby Khibins and Lovozero mountain ranges are ideal settings for mountaineering, hiking, skiing, mountain bicycling, dog sledding, and other sports. Other popular ski centers nearby are at Belaya Rechka, near Apatity, and on Mount Aikuaivenchorr, near Kirovsk, where international competitions are held.

The Khibino-Lovozero region also features archeological, historical, and cultural sites, as well as places of geological and mineralogical significance. Organized excursions allow tourists to explore points of interest such as the ancient stone labyrinths and rock carvings on the coast of the Kola Peninsula; Saami cultural artifacts in and around Lovozero; and Russian historical monuments along the shores of the White Sea.

Archangelsk Province
This region boasts more than 3,000 historical monuments and an array of museums depicting Russia’s cultural heritage. Kenozersky National Park, deep in the region’s taiga forest, protects a secluded corner of the ancient Russian North and all its traditions. Lakes and pastoral villages with restored churches and other historic buildings are nestled among densely forested hills, luring nature lovers and history enthusiasts alike. Other tourist favorites are sea cruises to the Solovki Islands, paddle-boat cruises, rafting on Archangelsk’s numerous rivers, and winter snowmobile tours. The province’s national parks and more than 30 nature sanctuaries will likely encourage the further development of ecotourism there.

Yugyd Va National Park
A UNESCO World Heritage site, this park covers 18,917 square kilometers (7400 square miles) in the northern Ural Mountains of the Republic of Komi. More than half of the park consists of taiga boreal forest; the rest is tundra. The park’s abundance of wildlife includes some 180 bird species and 20 varieties of fish, along with mammals such the mountain hare, flying squirrel, reindeer, ermine, otter, moose, wolf, and fox. Due to the park’s remote location, visitation is still quite low, however several tourist centers cater to travelers who come for rafting, boating, and hiking in the summer, and Nordic skiing in winter.

Taimyr
This region sprawls across 2.55 million square kilometers and spans five natural and geographical zones. The region hosts spectacular waterfalls and numerous deepwater lakes, diverse freshwater fish life, and huge colonies of seabirds, as well as walrus rookeries and occasional polar bears on the coast. Taimyr is home to the world’s largest herd of wild reindeer, and hunters pursue a variety of game animals there. The area also has four natural reserves, including the Big Arctic and Taimyr Biosphere reserves. Other highlights include stunning Lake Taimyr, hunting and fishing tours in the Yenisei river basin, rafting on the numerous waterways, ethnographic tours to witness the lifestyles of various indigenous peoples, and visits to former Soviet GULAG facilities. Also worth seeing are the high northern outposts of Norilsk, Khatanga, the Dudinka seaport, and the gold mines at Severnaya Zemlya. While the tourist infrastructure in Taimyr is currently weak, the potential for future tourism is substantial.

Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

This area occupies about one-fifth of Russian territory. Tourism is an emerging industry there, and a special tourist zone—soon to be established--will include a center on Arctic cultures and a popular science museum to be built underground in the permafrost. Yakutia’s sites of interest include the wildlife-rich Lena River delta, the cities of Yakutsk and Verkhoyansk, and the village of Oimyakon—which experiences the lowest recorded temperatures for any permanently inhabited location on Earth. From these points visitors can make “extreme expeditions” and take ethnographic tours; go rafting, ice angling, and bird-watching; and enjoy seasonal festivals. Other popular activities are air flights over the snow-and-ice-covered terrain, cruises on the Lena River, hunting and fishing tours, and visits to national parks and sanctuaries.

Chukotka
Also known as the Chukchi Peninsula, this region is known for the Wrangel Island State Reserve (the biggest in the Arctic) and the Shared Beringian Heritage Park Program. This program celebrates the common natural resources and cultural heritage of Russia and the United States in the Bering Strait area. The ancient monuments of Paleo-Asiatic people and the villages of the Chukchi, Eskimos, Koryaks, Lamuts and Evens peoples beckon visitors to learn about their traditional lifestyles. Dog races, deer races, rafting, sea cruises, winter excursions on skis and snowmobiles, and helicopter tours are other tourist highlights. An icebreaker ship makes trips to Wrangel Island, home to polar bears, musk oxen, and other wildlife.

The Kamchatka

This peninsula is located in the Russian Far East and contains one of the world’s densest concentration of active and extinct volcanoes. The Klyuchevsky volcano (4,835 meters) is the highest in northern Eurasia. The Kamchatka environment is largely in a pristine state. Nearly 30 percent of the land is protected, and UNESCO has designated six of Kamchatka’s natural areas—including the magnificent Valley of Geysers—as World Cultural and Natural Heritage sites. Recreational opportunities on Kamchatka include boating, horseback riding, alpine skiing, dog sledding, rock climbing, sailing, rafting, fishing, diving, snowboarding, and heli-skiing. Ethnographic trips to the villages of the Itelmen, Koryak, Even, and Aleutian peoples can also be arranged. Tourists also enjoy bathing in the many pools of hydrothermal mineral water, valued for their health benefits.

Russian Arctic National ParkDesignated in 2009, this park stretches across the Franz Josef Land Archipelago, the northern part of the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago, and Victoria Island. When fully established, the park will encompass about 8.4 million hectares, including territorial waters. This remote expanse boasts some of the largest colonies of birds in the Northern Hemisphere, as well as walruses, polar bears, Greenland whales and seals, polar foxes, and eared seals. The park also contains historic sites linked to the discovery of the Arctic by Vladimir Rusanov and Georgy Sedov, as well as the camp of Dutch navigator Willem Barents. The Russian government plans to develop eco-tourism in this park.

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Night Clubs of Saint Petersburg

noreply@blogger.com (Tahir Sultan) — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 18:52:00 +0000

Aquatoria

Address: Vyborgskaya Emb., 61
Open: bowling 12:00-6:00; casino 17:00-8:00; dancing Tue-Sun 22:00-6:00
Phone: 7-812-1183518, 7-812-2452030

One of the most fashionable clubs of Saint Petersburg, the Aquatoria offers its guests the variety of entertainments. On the vast territory (2,500 square meters) the club occupies one is sure to find 6 bars, bowling, billiards, casino, restaurant and disco. For the quests' convenience in front of the club there is a free parking spot.

The interior of the club is quite unusual: near the entrance guests see a pay desk shaped as a submarine cabin breaking through the ice. Hanging bridges lead to the dancing hall. Metal constructions and ultra-violet lights give an impression of an unreal liner with a mobile dance floor and the stage in the middle. The dancing hall regularly plays host to various fashion shows, trendy parties, bright show-programs and live concerts of Russian and foreign stars. The music played includes Eurodance, Latino, disco and classic club music as well as hits of Russian popupular music. The founders of the Aquatoria paid special attention to the most up-to-date equipment: there are 24 acoustics systems and 37 lighting devices.

Next to the dancing hall there is a cozy restaurant that can seat up to 100 guests. The hall is adorned with four large aquariums with gold fish. The calming whisper of the waterfall, the slow movements of the fish and pleasant background music create a relaxing atmosphere of coziness. The sea themes can be easily traced not only in the interior but also in the restaurant's menu where the fish and seafood dishes prevail. The guests of the restaurant are welcome to catch a fish from the mini-pool tight with sterlets, stellate sturgeons and trouts, and the chef will cook it immediately according to the client's wish.

On the second level of the club there is a casino and a bowling. The gamblers and those who would like to try their luck and win some money are offered two America Roulettes, two Pokers and two Blackjacks.

The Aquatoria is justly proud of its bowling area that comprises 9 cosmic bowling tracks fitted with the stage-of-the-art Brunswick equipment and 3 children tracks.

The Aquatoria, offering the great variety of modern entertainments to all tastes, is a club of choice for solvent people.

Metro

Address: Ligovsky Pr., 174
Open: 10:00-6:00
Phone: 7-812-1660210

The Metro Club is reckoned as one of the best dancing clubs of the city. The club is large enough and consists of three levels that have plenty to keep each clubber entertained. Traveling from one level to another the guests find themselves in the totally different worlds of sound, light and design. Each level features a dancing floor and a bar zone. On the first level visitors dance to Russian pop hits, on the second level - to techno and house music, on the third level - to Eurodance music. The attraction of the third level is the unique show "Dancing angels" - every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday athletic young men perform their unforgettable dance.

The club is designed in the Fabric style. Many metal constructions are used,and there are bars with counters longer than 30 meters looking like the subway tunnels. Chill out places are very stylish. In one of the bars there is karaoke: you can choose any of 1,000 songs in the Russian and English language.

The audience of the club is quite versatile. Mondays and Wednesdays are students' days, and on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays the Metro becomes a place of gathering of elder public. But the club is visited by young people at the age between 18 and 35 years old.

Special attention is paid to the creation of pleasant lively atmosphere in the club where daily people of different ages gather to relax to the full and everybody feels safe and comfortable. Restricted door policy doesn't allow drunk or spaced out people to enter the club. Inside the safety of the visitors is provided by qualified girls-administrators that are not only good-looking, friendly and always ready to help but also have high sport qualification.

Purga

Address: Fontanka Emb., 1
Open: 16:00–till the last guest
Phone: 7-812-3134123

The ultra modern Purga Club, guarded by awesome creatures with the heads of hares and bodies of sphinxes, was opened just recently, but it has already become a very stylish night venue of Saint Petersburg. It is interesting that originally Purga was conceived as a bar where like in some fairy tale New Year would be celebrated every day, but the establishment turned to be so unusual that exceeded the bounds of the bar.

The unique design of the club is an intricate mixture of the most queered new-year-industrial fantasies. The main character of the interior decoration is the Hare that is considered by the designers of the Purga to be the most New Year animal. Waiters and waitresses also wear costumes of hares.

The visitors of the club are welcome to rest at tables separated from each other by special doors: it gives an impression of intimate isolation. At the same time the guests see everything that is going on around them. Every table has its own shape and style.

The evening program presupposes celebrating New Year every night. To make it real there is a decorated Christmas tree, garlands, sparklers, champagne in midnight, happy faces of the guests and the lively atmosphere of a holiday.

Dance floor of the Purga is not large enough to accommodate all those willing to dance to fashionable electronic music. The audience is quite extravagant - one can meat a girl wearing a wedding dress and Martin's shoes or a young man in official suit, wearing red gym-shoes and red wig.

The cuisine of the Purga is quite good. The menu is a masterpiece of literature art: the names of the dishes are very unusual and funny to read. Some visitors keep reading the menu over and over again even after making order.

So if you haven't celebrated New Year the way you liked or want to do it one more time, come and enjoy the unforgettable Purga party!
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A nightlife guide to moscow.

A nightlife guide to moscow

noreply@blogger.com (Tahir Sultan) — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 18:50:00 +0000

Moscow is one of the fastest evolving cities in the world. After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, an influx of foreign travelers and businessmen poured into Russia and changed it forever. Moscow, a once dowdy and uninspired city, has become a bustling center for tourism and entertainment, attracting travelers from all over the world. After a busy day of sightseeing, the modern traveler to Moscow could find himself overwhelmed with entertainment choices once the sun has gone down.

Those who enjoy a good meal out will not be disappointed with the Moscow restaurant scene. With restaurants, cafes, pubs and bars on every corner and in between, diners have their choice of cuisines from all over the world. The closer you are to the center, the more dining establishments you will find and the more varied the cuisine will be. The current rage in Moscow is sushi, which can be found on menus of hundreds of restaurants, even those that are not otherwise Asian inspired. Italian is also gaining in popularity and well as Indian, Thai, Chinese, French, German, or almost any other fare you crave.

If you are searching for a more traditional Russian meal, opt for a higher-class Russian restaurant such as Puskin, Gudynov, or Yar; the food and the ambiance are well worth the high prices. Russians go to the restaurant to celebrate and typically spend hours at the table eating, drinking and talking. Having dinner in a Russian restaurant is an all-evening and into-the-night event.

Unlike most European cuisines, Russian puts a heavy emphasis on appetizers

, called zakuski. A Russian table is customarily filled with salads, pickles, and hot appetizers; all placed in the center of the table at the start of the meal. Diners begin their meal by serving themselves from these various appetizer dishes and continue to nibble on them throughout the meal. The king of all Russian zakuski is caviar

, usually served with Russian-style crepes called blini. Caviar is a good deal cheaper in Russia than elsewhere, but still expensive.

Before the main course arrives, Russians like to enjoy a bowl of soup. Most people are familiar with borsch which is, in fact, the most popular soup in Russia. Every establishment and Russian housewife has a unique recipe for this time-honored dish, so trying different borsches is always an eating experience. Soup in Russia is always served with a dollop of mayonnaise or sour cream floating in the center of the bowl. This should be stirred in to make the soup creamy.

The main course usually features meat or fish which can be fried or baked and a side dish. Some Russian specialties include sturgeon, chicken Kiev, and beef Stroganoff. Typical sides are potatoes, grains or cabbage. Both white and Russian black bread, which has an intense rye flavor, will be brought to the table to be enjoyed with the meal. Russians, typically, do not spread their bread with butter, so do not expect it to be served.

Vodka is not just an after dinner drink, but can be consumed before during and after the meal as well as wine, juice and mineral water. Soft drinks are widely available, but not part of the conventional Russian meal. Foreigners are often surprised to find that soft drinks are served slightly warm and without ice unless ice is requested. Russians like to finish the meal with tea rather than coffee and desert is often overlooked.

If clubbing is more your scene, the center of Moscow is filled with dance clubs, live-music clubs, and strip clubs

. Most clubs charge a cover charge and the bigger, better, hipper the club, the higher the entrance fee. Face-control is stringent at most Moscow night clubs. Moscow clubs are notorious for refusing entrance to anyone whose look doesn’t meet the bouncers’ standards. The preferred attire in most clubs is very dressy, especially for women. Russian women tend to dress much more lavishly and seductively than westerners. Many clubs stay open all night and most action takes place well after midnight. Almost any type of club that originated in the West can now be found in Moscow, including gay clubs.

Clubs in Moscow are quickly gaining notoriety for being more intense, loud, and crazy than their counter-parts in Europe and America. Developers are willing to pour vast amounts of money into creating the largest and fanciest clubs being built today. Club owners and designers are unafraid of pushing the limits of entertainment and décor. One club is famed for having live alligators roaming around under the glass dance floor. Another takes its inspiration from Soviet Era prisons with staff dressed as police and prisoners. Sections of the club are zoned off with barbed wire and guarded by angry watchdogs. Keep in mind that due to high competition, a club that is hot today can fizzle out tomorrow, so many open and close in a short period of time. It is advisable to pick up a club guide before heading out. These can be found on the free newsstands at most hotels and eating establishments and are usually printed in English.

Though drinking has always been a popular sport in Moscow, few bars were in business before the fall of the Soviet Union. Now, however, they can be found in abundance and most of them are western inspired. For example, Irish pubs are quite popular with both foreigners and Russians. Two long established Irish pubs are Rosie O’Grady’s and Sally O’Brien’s, both located just steps away from The Kremlin. Moscow has British-style pubs, American bars, and German Beer Halls. If you are searching for something a bit more chic, there are countless modern cocktail lounges popping up all over the city as well as cigar and martini bars

Gambling is legal in Moscow and one can find anything from cheap slot halls to first-class casinos. There are currently over fifty casinos in Moscow, more than in any other European city. Five full-service casinos can be found on the one half-mile strip along Novy Arbat Street alone, as well as several slot-hall operations. Most casinos and slot halls are open 24 hours a day. Be advised that the more posh casinos will charge a hefty cover charge and have high minimum bets on most tables. Fine alcohol and appetizers are provided free of charge while the guest is gambling. These casinos are frequented by both foreigners and high profile New Russians. These so called New Russians made large fortunes since the fall of the Soviet Union and spend their money copiously. In contrast, in the slot halls you are more likely to find lower to middle class Russian men and women smoking heavily and drinking cheap Russian beer.

Muscovites are crazy over bowling. There are now dozens of bowling centers all over the city. Most of these alleys are clean, modern and packed with young people. In addition to bowling, these centers offer video games, American pool tables, and even slot machines. At a nice bowling and entertainment center, expect to pay in excess of $30 per lane per hour. On the weekends it is often necessary to book a lane well in advance. Moscow bowling allies usually offer full dinner and bar menus. It isn’t uncommon to see a couple bowling over a meal of sushi and sake.

The moonlight hours in Moscow can be exciting, modern and crazy for any traveler. Whether you are a gourmand, a drinker, or a partier, finding your niche in the Moscow nightlife scene is easy. However, young affluent Russians and wealthy foreigners are the driving forces behind the developing night-life, and they demand that the hot spots be on the cutting edge of trends, modern, sleek and expensive. Consequently, be prepared to spend much more money in Moscow for entertainment than in the West.
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Night Clubs of Saint Petersburg.

Adventure Sports in Russia

noreply@blogger.com (Tahir Sultan) — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 17:42:00 +0000

Adventure Sports in Russia include many leisure activities that entertain the tourist coming form all across the world. The activities include hunting and fishing, tours by jeep to the historical and cultural venues of the country, snowballing, ice diving, skiing, river rafting and aerobic tours. The Adventure Sports in Russia make a trip to Russia a memorable one.

If you choose to go for hunting in wilds of Russia, you would gather a lot of knowledge about the wildlife in Russia. There are wild boars, red deer, moose, goose, wild ducks, wolves, brown beers, foxes, lynx and capercailzies. The best time to go for hunting in the forests of Russia is September and December is the right time if you’re looking for fowls.

Adventure tours in Russia include tours by jeep to the various cultural spots in Russia. Jeep tours are most popular from the end of spring to the middle of the autumn season. There is also jeep tours organized during the winter season. These tours are less tiring and include visits to some of the most interesting tourist destinations in Russia.

Ice diving is one of the most exciting of Russia adventure tours. It is a sport that is indulged in both by the localites and the foreign tourists. It gives you the real feel of sub zero cool that is the original atmosphere that Russia experiences for an extended period of the year.

Snowboarding is one of the most popular adventure sports in Russia. The bitter cold of Russia cannot stop people from indulging in this fun filled sport of Russia. It is mostly taken up by the youngsters and also common among the tourists.

Skiing, another of the adventure tours of Russia is a traditional winter recreational activity. It is not always possible to reach the top most peaks of Russia and sometimes the winter snow is not suitable to go for skiing.

You can also go for river rafting during your tour to Russia. The Russian landscape, stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean, gives immense scope for rafting. It is taken up by almost anyone and everyone.

Adventure Sports in Russia are thus the best activities to keep oneself busy during a leisure tour to Russia.

Online information on Adventure Sports in Russia is provided by travel.mapsofworld.

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Arctic Russia.

Adventure Sports in Russia
Hunting and Fishing in Russia	Ice-Diving in Russia
River Rafting in Russia	Skiing in Russia
Snowboarding in Russia

Sights to see in Russia

noreply@blogger.com (Tahir Sultan) — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 17:19:00 +0000

Welcome to Russia

For most westerners, Russia is associated with its European cities - Moscow and St.Petersburg. This is the heartland of Russia, and these great and ancient cities often become the focus for most guests. However, there is much more about Russia, a country that spans eleven time zones, ending less than 85 km from North America. Within this vast expanse lie the largest freshwater lake in the world, rivers and forests teeming with fish and wildlife, awe inspiring volcanoes, and towering mountains. Russia is the largest country of the Earth, with enormous tracts of land, its natural and cultural heritage waiting to be discovered.

Russia has a formidable pool of recreational resources, including natural landscapes of endless variety and inimitable beauty, monuments of history and cultural heritage, unique engineering structures, and unmatched cities, towns and smaller communities.

The most popular tourist attractions are the old Russian cities of Vladimir, Suzdal, Sergiev Posad, Pereyaslavl Zalessky, Rostov, Uglitch, Yaroslavl and Kostroma, the biggest gems of Russia's Golden Ring. Also high on every tourist's priority list are itineraries by boat from Moscow to St.Petersburg and the Valaam Island, a central point of religious piligrimage, or to Kizhi, the wonderland of old Russian wooden architecture, the Northern Caucasus and the Black Sea coast, to Mount Elbrus, the Ural mountains, and the Altai country, in different natural settings, from the Black Sea coast (like Gelenzhik and Anapa), the Baltic Sea (Sestroretsk, Komarovo, Zelenogorsk, Svetlogorsk, etc.) to the mountains of the Northern Caucasus (Teberda and Dombai), Ural (Kisegatch and Uveldy) and Altai (Chemal).

In the forest steppe and steppe areas, the invigorating nature is supplemented with refreshing koumiss, which is a favourite drink among the vacationers in Bashkortostan (Aksakovo, Yumatovo and Shafranovo).

There is no doubt that the most celebrated among Russian balneological resorts, a craze since the early 19th century to our day, of course, are the Caucasian Spas, a cluster of mineral springs at Yessentuki, Zheleznovodsk, Kislovodsk and Pyatigorsk, with Naltchik a short way off. The most famous among the local springs are Slaviansky, Smirnovsky, Lermontovsky, Batalinsky, the narzan springs of Kislovodsk, and mineral treats No.17 and No.4 at Yessentuki.

With the disintegration of the Soviet Union crime has been rising throughout Russia, however, it is safer here than in many American cities. Precautions include not flaunting valuables, or walking alone at night through city streets or parks.

Moscow

Moscow is conveniently sited in the centre of Russia's European part where the rivers Moskva and Yauza cross the Central Russian Plateau.

A settlement of artisans and traders arose at the site of the present-day Kremlin and Zaryadie long before the first mention of Moscow in chronicles (the year 1147). Standing at the crossing of the main trading routes (the Moskva river and the Yauza), it had its centre on Borovitsky Hill. In the 15th century Moscow became capital of the Russian state. With the transfer of Russia's capital to St.Petersburg in 1712, it became the country's second capital. In 1918, it became the capital of the Russian Federation, and from 1922 to 1991, it was the capital of the USSR.

Present-day Moscow is a capital of the Russian Federation. Moscow is one of the biggest cities in the world. It occupies the area of 1035 square kilometres. Moscow has more than 5.000 streets. The population is about 9 million people, plus more than three million tourists and guests coming annually. Climate is moderate. The average temperature in July and August is +20(25)°C; in December and January -10°C. The humidity is moderate. The Moscow's winters are, as a rule, cold and snowy.

Administratively, Moscow is segmented into 10 administration districts. The names of the districts comply with their location: Central, West, North-West, etc. The districts are, then, segmented into city regions, there are 128 of them in Moscow.

The Moscow City Duma is the main legislative body. The executive power is exercised by the Moscow Mayor, the prefects and the sub-prefects. The municipal authorities are elected by the citizens of Moscow (vote by secret ballot).

Moscow is a unique city, its architecture combines the features of Oriental and Western cultures. The Vysantium traditions were overlapped by the creations of architects from Italy, England and other West-European countries.

The Moscow museums preserve invaluable treasures, including unique collections of Russian and foreign art and material culture. Currently, in Moscow there are more than 80 museums. The most famous attractions include:

The Moscow Kremlin, the beautiful and ancient ensemble stands high on the hill towering over the left bank of the Moskva river. The Kremlin has always been perceived as a symbol of power and might of the Russian state, the national idea expressed in stone. It is the oldest part of the city, its political, historic and cultural centre, and the seat of the country's highest bodies of power. The Kremlin contains unique specimens of Russian metal casting art - the Tsar Bell (cast in 1733-1735 by the father and son Motorins) and the Tsar Cannon (1586). Besides, it is the site of several museums.

The Armory ("Oruzheynaya Palata"), within the fortress walls of the Moscow Kremlin. One of the oldest Russian museums. It was founded about 500 years ago. In 15th century the Armory was used to store the Tsar treasures. On display here are unique specimens of applied art and precious utensils, including the collection of jewelry of the 12th-20th centuries; the collection of West-European silver utensils of the 13th-19th centuries (ambassadors' gifts); the collection of elite arms (12th to 19th centuries); the collection of golden and silver embroidery (14th to 19th centuries); the collection of fabrics and clothing of the 14th to the beginning of 20th centuries; accoutrements and Tsars' carriages.

Diamond Fund (near the Armoury), a collection of jewelry and precious stones of great cultural and material value and a selection of gold and platinum nuggets. Established in 1922, it contains the symbols of imperial power (the orb, scepter and crown), unique precious stones (like the diamonds Orlov, 189.62 carats, and Shah, 88.7 carats), the imperial family's jewelry, and the world's biggest gold nugget, the Grand Triangle, weighing 36kg.

The Red Square (Russian: "Krasnaya Ploshchad"), the main square in Moscow and Russia, the Red Square together with the Kremlin make a harmonious architectural ensemble. The old Russian "red" meant "handsome", "the best", "the main". The Red Square witnessed many important events in the history of the Russian state.

The northern side of the Red Square is bordered by the building of the State History Museum, which was erected in the 1870-1880s. On the eastern side there is a large department store built in 1893.

The Red Square is famous with brilliant Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed, popularly known as St.Basil's Cathedral (at the southern end of the square). The church has a uniquely scenic and festive appearance, with 8 columnar churches soaring up from a common pediment, with a ninth, central tent-like church towering above the rest. Tsar Ivan the Terrible ordered the construction of this Cathedral in the memory of the seizure of Kazan, the capital of Tatar Khanate, which disturbed Rus by endless raids. The Cathedral was built by Russian architects Barma and Postnik.

Not far from the Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed, in the Red Square, there is Lobnoye mesto. There is an opinion that Lobnoye Mesto was used for executions, but, in reality, it was used to proclaim tsar's edicts and to hold various religious ceremonies.

Next to the Cathedral stands the monument to Minin and Pozharsky, Russian national heroes, defenders who led the people's volunteers in 1612. The author of the well-known monument is the famous Russian sculptor I.Martos.

In the central part of the square, near the Kremlin wall, in 1930 the Lenin Mausoleum was built to the project of well known Soviet architect A.Shchusev.

The State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, the largest museum of Russian national art. Named in honour of art patron and art collector Tretyakov, who donated to Moscow the family collection of paintings in 1892. On display here there are the specimens of early Russian art of the 9th to 17th centuries, including the icons from Kiev, Novgorod, Central Russia painted by Andrey Rublev, Simon Ushakov, Dionysius; world famous pictures; drawings and sculptures; interesting exposition of the Russian avant-garde of the 1920s; the Soviet art of the 1930s.

The Museum of Applied and Folk Art in Moscow, here are displayed the best samples of the true Russian art, ceramics from Gzhel, specimens from Khokhloma, Palekh, Fedoskino, samovars, fine collections of furniture, china, glass, clothing, textile, etc.

The State Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow, the museum comprises the collections displayed in the Halls of Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Antique, Early-Christian Arts. On display here there are paintings and sculptures by famous Italian, Holland, Flamand, German and French artists.

The Moscow Metro is not the oldest one in the world, its stations welcomed the first passengers in 1930. However, the architectural style and wide scope of the stations' design deserve the name of the "Undeground Palace". Nearly all stations are reveted with various natural stones having unique structure and beauty. Currently, there are over 150 stations of the Moscow Metro. The Metro stations were designed and embellished by prominent Russian architects, artists and sculptors. Their great talent and decorative skills created not only one more transportation facility, but a peculiar underground network of great artistic value.

Kolomenskoye, the residence of Russian tsars (today, it is within Moscow's limits), lying in a scenic place on the high bank of the Moskva river. The museum of Kolomenskoye explains about the history of this place since the ancient times. On display are the collection of early Russian painting; fine samples of decorative and applied art; tower-clock mechanisms, ceramics, decorative metal works, wood-carving. The museum of Russian wooden architecture displays the structures brought here from different places in Russia. Among them the house of Peter the Great brought from Arkhangelsk is especially popular. The funds of the museum exhibit the unique masterpieces of the Russian art (icons, drawings, early printed books, etc.). Each guest visiting Kolomenskoye can feel and enjoy the Russian traditions and peculiar national colour. Not only the interesting excursions attract people here, but also many festive occasions to celebrate folk, religious and state holidays. The festivals of art are held in Kolomenskoye and special programs reestablish the ancient traditions.

St.Petersburg

Russian "Sankt Peterburg", formerly "Petrograd" (1914-24), "Leningrad" (1924-91), northwestern Russia, one of the most beautiful cities of Europe. St. Petersburg - the Venice of the North - is a city of haunting magnificence, an imperial capital that seems to have been built as a monument to its own passing.

The second largest city (after Moscow) in Russia. The population is about 5 million people. St.Petersburg has played a vital role in Russian history. Founded as St.Petersburg by Peter the Great in 1703, it was for two centuries the capital of the Russian Empire (1712-1918). It was the scene of the February and October revolutions in 1917 and was a besieged and fiercely defended city during World War II. The modern city is important as a cultural and industrial centre and as one of the nation's largest seaports.

St. Petersburg is situated on the delta of the Neva River where it flows into the Gulf of Finland, about 160 km from the Finnish border. The city once spread across nearly 100 islands of the delta. The low and originally marshy site has made the city subject to recurrent, often severe flooding. Canals and natural channels assist drainage and make St.Petersburg a city of waterways and bridges.

The climate is of the modified continental type, with marked maritime influences. February temperatures average -8° C, and July's average +18° C.

Central St.Petersburg is divided by distributaries of the Neva River into four sections: the Admiralty Side, Vasilyevsky Island, the Petrograd Side, and the Vyborg Side. Industrial and residential suburbs spread north and south. The Admiralty Side is particularly rich in museums, monuments, and historical buildings and squares. From the Admiralty, the nucleus of Peter's original city, the great street known as Nevsky Prospekt goes eastward. The street is lined by palaces, churches, stores, cafes, and theatres.

St.Petersburg displays a remarkable richness of architecture that includes the cathedral of the Peter-Paul Fortress, the Summer Palace, the Winter Palace, the Smolny Convent, the Vorontsov and Strogonov palaces, the Kazan and St.Isaacs Cathedrals, the Smolny Institute, the new Admiralty, and the Senate. Music, ballet, and theatre enjoy a long and continuing tradition in the city.

Hermitage in St.Petersburg, one of the largest museums in the world, founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great. The present-day Hermitage has several departments - prehistoric culture, the Antique World, Oriental cultures, history of Russian culture (including the palace interior and the 1812 Gallery), numismatics, West European art, displaying the world-famous works of Leonardo da Vinci, Rafael, Titian, Giorgione, Velazques, Murillo, Rubens, Van Dyke, Hals, Gainsborough, Poussin, Watteau, Monet, Renoir, Cezanne, Picasso, Matisse, and many others, and sculptures by Michelangelo, Rodin, etc.

Velikiy Novgorod

Velikiy Novgorod is situated on the banks of the picturesque river Volkhov, 190 kilometres to the south of St.Petersburg. The city was founded more than 11 centuries ago. Modern Novgorod is important as a tourist centre. The population is about 234.000. During World War II, the city suffered heavy damage after the Nazi bombings, but the historic buildings were subsequently restored. Among the places to see is the oldest stone building in Russia - St.Sophia Cathedral in the Novgorod Kremlin.

Murmansk

Murmansk (probably from the Sami word "murman" meaning "the edge of the earth"), northwestern Russia, the largest town in the world north of the Arctic Circle, lies 200 km north of the Arctic Circle, and on the eastern shore of Kola Bay, at the ice-free Barents Sea, home to Russia's nuclear-powered ice-breakers. The population is about 473.000.

The town, founded in 1915 as a supply port in World War I, was a base for the British, French, and American expeditionary forces against the Bolsheviks in 1918. In World War II Murmansk served as the main port for Anglo-American convoys carrying war supplies to the U.S.S.R. through the Arctic Ocean. The town is now an important fishing port, and its fish-processing plant is one of the largest in Europe.

A lot of guests flock in during the Festival of the North, held in the last week of March and featuring reindeer races and a ski marathon.

Vyborg

Northwestern Russia, the town stands at the head of Vyborg Bay of the Gulf of Finland, 113km northwest of St. Petersburg. It's one of Europe's oldest cities and has an imposing medieval castle built on a rock in the bay. First settled in the 12th century, Vyborg was built as a fortress in 1293 by the Swedes after they had captured Karelia. In 1710 the fortress was captured by Peter I the Great, and Vyborg thenceforth remained under Russian rule. From 1918 to 1940 the city was part of Finland and held the name Viipuri, but it was ceded back to the Soviet Union in 1940 after the Russo-Finnish War. The city was occupied by Finnish and German forces from 1941 to 1944, after which it was returned to the Soviet Union. The city sustained severe damage during World War II but was subsequently rebuilt. Vyborg is an important fishing port and also has ship-repair yards. The population is about 81.000.

Suzdal

Northeast of Moscow, town in the Vladimir oblast, one of the most celebrated tourist attractions in Russia, famous for its abundance of historic architectural features, including such marvels as the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Mother of God (built in the 13th century), the St.Euphymius Cathedral of Our Savior (16th-17th centuries), the Cathedral of the Deposition of the Veil (16th-19th centuries), the Protection Cathedral (15th-18th centuries), and monasteries and churches of the 17th and 18th centuries.

The ancient Russian town of Suzdal is about 1000 years old. Its architectural monuments have been shortlisted by UNESCO as international cultural heritage. Today it is a huge open-air museum.

Sochi

With the Caucasus mountains as its backdrop, Sochi is a wonderful Russia's resort at the Black Sea. With its subtropical climate, warm sea and adjoining modern resort complexes, Sochi has long attracted heads of state, foreign tourists and Russians alike. Sochi has dozens of hotels, tourist centres, and campsites and more than 50 sanatoriums. Its streets and gardens are filled with exotic subtropical trees and shrubs. There are picturesque waterfalls, hilltop views, mineral springs and alpine vistas to enjoy.

Vladivostok

Old Russian: "Rule the East", seaport and administrative centre of Primorsky kray (region), extreme southeastern Russia. The town was founded in 1860 as a Russian military outpost. During World War I Vladivostok was the chief Pacific entry port for military supplies and railway equipment sent to Russia from the United States. After the outbreak of the Russian Revolution in 1917, Vladivostok was occupied in 1918 by foreign, mostly Japanese, troops, the last of whom were not withdrawn until 1922. The antirevolutionary forces in Vladivostok promptly collapsed, and Soviet power was established in the region.

During the Soviet period Vladivostok remained the home of the Pacific Fleet, which was greatly enlarged in the decades after World War II. Vladivostok's military importance was such that from 1958 to 1990 it was entirely closed to foreigners.

Vladivostok is the chief educational and cultural centre of the Russian Far East. It is the site of the Far Eastern Scientific Centre, the Far Eastern State University (founded 1920), and medical, art education, polytechnic, trade, and marine-engineering institutes. The city has amateur and professional theatres as well as a philharmonic society and symphony orchestra. There are also museums of local history and of the history of the Pacific Fleet. The population is about 648,000.

The city is surrounded by the Far East Maritime Reserve and the Ussuri Nature Reserve, home to black and brown bears, Siberian boars, Ussuri tigers, the rare Amur leopard and hundreds of local and migratory birds.

The Trans-Siberian Railway

Russian: "Transsibirskaya Magistral", the longest rail system in Russia, stretching from Moscow 9.198 km east to Vladivostok or (beyond Vladivostok) 9.446 km to the port station of Nakhodka. It had great importance in the economic, military, and imperial history of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union.

The Trans-Siberian Railway is the great way to see the massive country. The full rail trip on the passenger train from Moscow to Nakhodka now takes about eight days, passing through endless forests of birch and pine, original settlements and vast steppes. Life on the rails can be really fascinating. The route takes you past Siberia's Lake Baikal, a waterway as big as Belgium and home to the world's only freshwater seal, and multicultural Irkutsk. The city of Ulan-Ude is home to the country's seat of Buddhism. Those who get into the rhythm of the stops and starts, and the passing parade of trees and towns, will find it an experience never to be forgotten.

The Volga

To experience Russia only from the land, however, is to miss a central feature of its character, for river travel has always stood at the heart of Russian life.

The main artery of the Russian heartland has always been the 3700km-long River Volga (Europe's longest river), which slowly meanders from Yaroslavl, north of Moscow, all the way down to Volgograd, from where a tributary runs off to the Caspian Sea. The Volga-Don Ship Canal links it with the River Don, bound for the Azov Sea. Cruisers and steamships ply the Volga's waters, the most interesting section is between Volgograd and Rostov-on-Don. Towns en-route include Kazan, one of the oldest Tatar cities in Russia, which features a limestone Kremlin and mosques; and Lenin's birthplace, Ulyanovsk, full of memorable sites. Volgograd, previously known as Stalingrad, is best known for the decisive and protracted battle fought here during WW II. After Stalingrad the Soviet forces advanced almost continuously all the way to Berlin. The city has since been built from scratch. There are extremely interesting museums and monuments here. Now Volgograd is a prosperous commercial and industrial centre.

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